Washboard



jan. 13, 1942. E. GOLD WASHBOARD Filed March 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 mm O R E6 Y O M e M @L E. GOLD WASHBOARD .Fan. 13, 1942.

Filed March 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENfOR [Z/VHEO 6040 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED ST'i' PART FFECE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to wash boards.

In the washing of garments and other fabrics it is frequently desirable to-have the garment spread out on the wash board so that the same may be rubbed with soap or scrubbed with a brush.

The broad object of the present invention is to provide a wash board having a movable member adjacent its lower edge so that a garment to be washed may be engaged between such member and the lower rail of the wash board and thus held firmly in place during the washing operation. This invention is also adapted for use in the washing of soiled diapers where it is desirable to reduce or eliminate the manual handling thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which may readily be built into new wash boards or which may easily be applied to existing wash boards. In order to be practical such a device must be inexpensive. Accordingly, a further object of the invention is to provide a simple device which may be made easily of inexpensive material so as to not increase greatly the production cost of the wash board.

A further, mOre specific object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the operating parts will all be located on the side or front of the wash board to elim inate the necessity of moving the wash board when the same is in position in a tub or other receptacle in which the washing operation is being carried on. A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which may be operated from the top of the wash board and so arranged that the garment or other fabric will be held in position by spring pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which a movable member may be locked in position to prevent the unintentional removal of a garment or other fabric.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, are illustrated four embodiments of the invention, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective View, partly broken away, showing the application of one form of the invention to a conventional wash board;

Figure 2 is a vertical section, taken approximately on line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical section similar'to Figure 2, but showing the parts in open rather than closed position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing one side of a wash board and illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a front elevation, partly'broken away, showing a further modification of the invention; and,

Figure 6 is a perspective view'showing a still further modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the wash board comprises an indented or corrugated surface 1 which-is disposed between side rails 8. Beneath the indented surface 1, between the side rails 8, is permanently secured a bottom rail 9 and a soap rail I0 is secured above the panel 1 between the side rails 8. Above the soap rail I0 is a splash panel II and the side rails 8 are joined at their top by'a top rail 12. The foregoing elements are well known and are common in a conventional Wash board.

Adjacent the inside lower faces of the side rails 8 are complementary guides l3 having their upper ends permanently secured in the base rail 9 and their lower ends secured to the side rails 8. The guides I 3 may be made of any suitable'material, but it has been found that the guides l3 and the other operating parts hereinafter described, may readily be made of relatively stiff wire which may be bent to the desired shape.

Disposed beneath the lower rail 9 is amovable bar I l provided with brackets 15 which encircle the guides I 3. The ends of the bar M are provided with eyelets or staples l6 which likewise surround the guides 13, so that the bar- [4 may be moved up and down in a vertical plane. Complementary rods I l are disposed adjacent the side rails 8 and have their lower ends l8 bent inwardly and slidably disposed with relation to the guides l3. Coil springs I9 are disposed on the guides l3 between the lower ends N3 of the rods i7 and the eyelets or staples It, so as to urge the bar l4 upwardly against the lower rail 9.

The rods I! are operated by means of a handle 20 located near the top of the wash board and bent substantially into U form. The ends 2lof the handle 20 are pivoted in brackets 22 secured on the front faces of the side rails 8. On each side of the handle 20 is provided a loop 23 formed by bending the material upon itself, which loop 23 is received in an eye 24 formed on the upper end of the rods H. In Figure 1, 25 represents a garment or fabric to be washed.

In operation, the handle 20 is swung forwardly,

as shown in Figure 3. The rods I'I engage the brackets I and force the bar I4 downwardly. A portion of the fabric 25 is inserted in the space between the bar I4 and the lower rail 9, and the handle 20 is then retracted to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The lower ends I8 of the rods I'I engage the lower ends of the springs I9 and force the bar I4 against the lower rail 9, thus firmly securing the fabric 25 in position. Since the coil springs I9 are independent of one another, the bar I4 will grip the fabric 25 firmly even though the bulk of the material 25 at one point may cause the bar I4 to assume a position at a slight angle to the lower rail 9.

Near their upper ends the rods I! are curved as shown at 26 to permit the handle 20 and the upper ends of the rods H to lie adjacent the splash panel I I, as shown in Figure 2. Since this position is back of the brackets 22, where the ends 2I of the handle 20 are pivoted, the handle 20 and the upper ends of the rods H are past the dead center of the arc of the travel of the handle 20, and are thereby locked in position until the handle 20 is manually moved forwardly and downwardly. If desired, the upper ends of the fabric 25 may be placed behind the handle 20 before the handle 20 is locked in position, thus securing both the upper and lower ends of the fabric 25, and leaving both hands free for the washing operation. On the other hand, the upper end of the fabric 25 may be held by one hand and the washing operation continued with the other hand.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided a simple construction which may readily be built into a washboard or applied to an existing wash board, and which will permit a garment or fabric to be securely held in position during the washing operation. It will further be found that it is unnecessary to move the wash board from its position in order to operate the device, and the rod I'I, being located adjacent the side rails I8, do not interfere with the washing operation.

Referring to Figure 4, the handle 20 is provided with a rearward extension 21 which terminates in an eye 28 to receive a head 29 formed on the upper end of the operating rods IT. The ends 2I of the handle 20 are journaled directly to the side rails 8. The upper ends of the rods H are bent rearwardly as shown at 30 to permit such ends to pass the dead center on the swing of the handle 20 to effect the locking act, heretofore described.

Referring to the lower portion of Figure 4, the guide I3 has a bracket 3! formed on its lower end from which pins 32 engage the bar I4. The pins 32 are slidable in a slot 33 formed in the lower portion of the side rails 8. The upper portion of the guides I3 is not secured to the wash board but is formed with a head to retain the coil spring I9 in position. The operation of the form shown in Figure 4 is the same as the operation of the form shown in Figure 1. When the handle 20 is rocked forwardly and downwardly, the lower ends I3 of the rods I'I engage the bracket 3| and force the bar I4 downwardly. When the handle 20 is retracted the ends I8 of the rods I'I press the spring I9 against the head of the guides l3 and force the bar I4 upwardly against the lower rail 9 of the wash board.

In Figure 5 is shown a further modification of the invention. The construction and operation of the upper portion thereof is the same as that shown in Figure 4. The lower portion of Figure 5 shows a bracket 34, secured to the lower face of the bar I4. The bracket 34 is provided with a forwardly projecting U-shaped portion 35 to bridge the side rails 8 without passing therethrough. The bracket 34 is further provided with a vertically bent portion 36 which is surrounded by the usual coil spring I9, and a split pin or other means 31 is provided to maintain the upper end of the spring I9 in position. The bar I4 is provided with reduced ends 38 which are slidably disposed in grooves 39 formed on the inner face of the side rails 8.

In Figure 6 is shown a further modification of the invention. The handle 20 is provided with offset ends 40, in combination with eyelet 4| permanently secured to the upper ends of the operating rods IT. The ends 40 on the handle 2!] are movable in slots 42 formed in the side rail 8. The upper ends of the rods H are surrounded by the coil spring I9 which is held in place by an eyelet or other retaining means 43, through which the rods I! are movable. The lower ends I3 of the rods II are disposed through slots 44 formed in the lower part of the side rails 8 and are connected directly to the bar I4. As shown in Figure 6, the bar I4 may be circular in cross-section and may optionally be rotatable on the ends I8 of the rods I'I. When the handle 20 is pushed downwardly in the slot 42, the rods I! will carry the bar I4 downwardly. When the handle 20 is released the springs I9 will draw the bar I4 upwardly and force the same firmly against the lower rail 9 of the wash board.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wash board having a rubbing panel over which a fabric article may be placed, rails at opposite sides of the panel providing supporting legs therefor and having guides extending below said panel, an upper device and a lower device extending transversely of the wash board, the lower device being mounted upon said guides for movement upwardly toward and downwardly from the panel to clamp or release said article relative thereto and the upper device being movably mounted on the wash board near the top thereof and manually operable to actuate the lower device, and means extending along opposite sides of the wash board for operatively connecting said upper device with said lower device.

2. A wash board having a rubbing panel over which a fabric article may be placed, rails at opposite sides of the panel providing supporting legs therefor and having guides extending below said panel, an upper device and a lower device for sustaining said article upon the panel or permitting its removal therefrom, the lower device being mounted upon said guides for movement upwardly toward and downwardly from the panel to clamp or release said article relative thereto, the upper device being movably mounted on the wash board near the top thereof and said upper device being manually operable to actuate the lower device, and means extending along opposite sides of the wash board forpperatively connecting said upper device with said lower device.

3. A wash board having a rubbing panel over which a fabric article may be placed, rails at opposite sides of the panel providing supporting legs therefor and having guides extending below said panel, a bar extending transversely of the wash board and mounted upon said guides for movement upwardly toward and downwardly from the panel to clampor release said article relative thereto, rods connected with the bar and extending upwardly therefrom along opposite sides of the wash board, and a rod and bar actuating member extending transversely of the wash board near the top thereof and movably mounted thereon, said member being connected with the rods and being manually operable to actuate said rods and said bar.

4. A wash board having a rubbing panel over which a fabric article may be placed, rails at opposite sides of the panel providing supporting legs therefor and having guides extending below said panel, a bar extending transversely of the wash board and mounted upon said guides for movement upwardly toward and downwardly from the panel to clamp or release said article relative thereto, an elongated rod and bar actuating handle extending transversely of the wash board below and near the top'thereof and movably mounted thereon, said handle being connected with the rods and being manually operable to actuate said rods and said bar, and spring means providing for yielding engagement of the bar with the fabric article when the same is placed upon the panel and the bar is moved upwardly thereto.

EDWARD GOLD. 

